NE State Patrol add Light Armored Vehicles to fleet

The Nebraska State Patrol has added some muscle to its fleet of vehicles. Troopers have begun training on three LAV-25s or lightly armored personnel carriers.

They were acquired from the ranks of surplus Nebraska Army National Guard equipment. The eight-wheeled LAV-25 can ford streams, rivers and lakes and hit 60 mph on smooth roads. Depending on configuration, they weigh between 10 and 12 tons and are impervious to small-arms fire.

The patrol says the LAVs will be used to support rescue and tactical operations and help during natural disasters. Each vehicle is equipped with lights, sirens and communication gear and can hold up to eight people. One LAV will be stationed in each third of the state.